FAYETTEVILLE -- Scott Fountain is relying on a true freshman to handle the field goal duties this season.

Scott Starzyk was rated No. 1 or No. 2 kicker in the nation depending on the recruiting service for the Class of 2025. On Sunday following the team's third practice, Fountain was asked about Starzyk's progress?

"Yeah, going back to the spring, he had a good spring," Starzyk said. "I wouldn't say a great spring. He did well over in the practice fields, not as well in the game situations. But, you know, the first two days with the third day – today was the first day do live field goals. He made them all, so that's a good start. And then our charting part that we do over here at the stadium, when everybody else is over there at practice, and he's done really well there as well. I think I'm pleased where he's at.

"He's young, so you never know how freshmen are going to react, but I think his personality is a lot like Cam Little's. And so, I'm excited about him. The most important thing for him is just make field goals this year. But as far as the situations, we haven't started that yet, but I think what you're going to see with [Pittman] is he's just – in the middle of practice – going to say, 'Field goals up' and kick a long field goal, short field goal. Just try to put some pressure on him like that, which is always good anytime the tension is brought to you. I think it's big. And what I'm trying to do in our charting session, when nobody else is here, I'm going, 'All right, we've got Texas A&M at home second quarter, four minutes ago.' Just situations like that to get him thinking."

Is Starzyk definitely the one will go out first against Alabama A&M?

"Well, I mean, we always compete," Fountain said. "We're letting Blake Ford compete. I think Blake's transferred back here from North Texas, Charlie Von Der Meden's here. We're letting them compete. So, I think after camp we'll make that for sure decision. But I think Scott's in a good place coming out of spring."

Fountain expanded on how Starzyk's personality is similar to that of Little.

"If I carry you back to," Fountain said. "We had a kid committed here at one time, and him and Scott come up to the same camp. Scott just– it's almost like he was so locked in and so focused, but also talking to me and all that. He's almost in your face talking and after the camp I was like, 'Man, he was really good, but golly, I don't know that personality.' I mean Cam was the same way, because I'd go, 'Man, his personality. I don't know.' But when we had the opportunity to get Scott, that was one of the things for sure that drove me to him. I thought he was a kid that's a player's guy. The kids are going to love him in the locker room, and I think also he's a guy that'll be able to handle a little bit of attention."

Pittman recently commented on Starzyk being perfect on six field goal attempts.

"I’ll give you two things," Fountain said. "I always shoot for 80%. I want to be at 80%. But I always tell them, if you can hit 80% our football team’s going to be fine. If you hit 90% you’re going to have the opportunity to go and get a trophy at the end of the year, the Lou Groza Trophy, right? 

"Cam Little, while he was here, he was over 80% every year. Last year in the NFL he hit 93%. That’s what you’re looking for. So with him I’m trying to have an 80% season, an 80% practice. That takes a little bit of pressure off of him and this is where I try to put pressure on them and take a little off. Everything 49 yards and in, we want to make that field goal. Anything 50 and above, I always tell them that’s a a 50-50 deal, so that takes a little pressure off of them. But the last two years we’ve been pretty good over 50. But I don’t want them going out there thinking, ‘Hey, I’ve got to make every 50-yard field goal.’ I mean, obviously they’re thinking that way, but I don’t want the pressure of that carrying over to the next kick if they miss a long field goal."

With Little leaving early for the NFL, Fountain relied on transfer portal and older kickers last year. What did he see in Starzyk to make him feel comfortable going with a freshman?

"First of all, talent," Fountain said. "What kind of leg talent does he have. And I think second of all is the personality. I think he has that type of personality. Those are kind of the two main things I look for. And you try to go back and in high school some of these guys kick 6 or 7 field goals all year. It’s just according to what team they’re on, what their coach is trying to do. So you go to these camps, and to me in the kicking and punting world, if I can see a kid kick in a major camp, that’s always a big deal.

"It’s not AAU basketball, but it’s similar to it, right. You’re going to compete in a three-day camp, how does he compete against the next-best guy in the country. And I think that’s important. You think about Cam Little, and I’m talking a lot about him today but he came out COVID year. I saw Cam one time and he was maxing out at 135 on the bench in high school, right? The last time I saw him and then COVID hits. So I never really got to watch him kick live, so I had to do everything through video and the camps."

Arkansas will return to the practice fields on Monday at 9:15 am